Parish Contacts
Parish Priest: Rev. Canon Lynn Parker – main point of contact for all matters
Curate: Rev. Laura Bushell-Hawke
Parish Wardens: Paul Gribble and Bill Woods
Readers/Licensed Lay Ministers: Richard Laugharne, Margaret Sylvester-Thorne, David Watters, Matt Frost
For weddings, baptisms, funerals and church services: Rev. Canon Lynn Parker, David Watters and Margaret Sylvester-Thorne
Children’s work: Rev. Canon Lynn Parker, Evelyn Reed, David Watters, Margaret Sylvester-Thorne, Rev Laura Bushell-Hawke
Messy Church: Evelyn Reed
For buildings and general parish enquiries: the Parish Wardens: Paul Gribble and Bill Woods
For Safeguarding: Rev Laura Bushell-Hawke
Pastoral Visitors Team: Pat Paxton
Parish Giving Scheme: Paul Gribble
Finances: the Treasurer, Paul Gribble
Electoral Roll: Rosemary Stevenson
Enquiries about individual churches:
Downderry: Andrew Pidgen
Hessenford: Fran Moore
St Germans: Richard Laugharne
Tideford: Evelyn Reed
Deanery Synod Reps: David Watters, Rosemary Stevenson and Paul Gribble
Cashiers: Peter Daw – St Germans; Tim Pullin – Downderry; Hugh Parker – Tideford and Fiona Bristow – Hessenford.
Additional PCC Members from November 2020
Tim Pullin, Stephen Guffick, Tilly Thompson, Yvonne Byles, Hugh Parker, Susan Booth, Dawn Couling, and Fiona Bristow
Hire and other info on St Germans Priory Church for events:
The St Germans Priory Trust: www.stgermanspriory.info
Hire of the Church Hall in Hessenford: http://www.hessenford.net
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Lynn’s thoughts at the beginning of the New Year
We come to the start of a new year, but before we launch ourselves into 2021, let us take a moment to thank God for all that has happened in 2020.
That may be a strange thing to write bearing in mind all that we have been through with the Covid epidemic, but for some it may have been a good year, with lots of new opportunities, good health, and happiness. And we can rejoice in that and remember with thanksgiving that God has seen us through a difficult year.
Not forgetting of course that for others there may have been times of struggle, loss, or ill health.
But even in the dark times, what we have to remember is that God will not stretch us beyond what we can cope with. He is always there to call upon, to strengthen us through times of trials, to support us and give us hope, even in our bleakest hour.
So, we need to look back at the past year with a reflective and positive mind and try and think of some of the good that has come out of adversity. We never know how things that have happened in the past year will affect our future, or come in useful as a new skill learnt, or as a problem tackled that can give us insight into how we might help others.
So whatever 2020 gave us, let us thank God for all that makes up our lives, the good times and the bad, all that gives it character and meaning. And let us reflect on our experiences, that whatever has been, we can use to strengthen us, and to give us courage, to start this New Year with a positive and thankful attitude.
May God bless you, guard over you and guide you, and lead you in the ways of peace through 2021.
Yours in Christ
Canon Lynn
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For this month’s newsletter please click on this link 2021.01_Jan_Benefice_Newsletter
Continuing our series of who’s who within the benefice – this month it is the turn of Sue Irving, one of our Licensed Lay Readers, Sue Irving
I was born at home in a coastguard cottage in Portwrinkle, a breach presentation and awkward from birth according to my mother! The younger of two sisters with the war years between, my sister Pauline has returned to live in Crafthole where she was born.
Our three hundred year paternal family line connection to St Mary’s (Sheviock) can be traced as one walks down the church path, where Henry Davey “Clerk of this parish” and John Davey and their wives are buried. Sadly the more tragic grave of our grandfather who committed suicide remains as a shadow in our hearts; as he was also a church warden, he was granted special permission to be buried inside the walls.
My mother, originally a Baptist was born on the south side of Dartmoor, her mother then died when she was 16. She converted to the Anglican church when an adult. I was educated first at Sheviock school and then at Saltash Grammar.
Having moved to London, planning to train as a nurse, I instead trained in Hotel and Catering, got married at 19 in a misguided attempt to appease my father and was lucky to have two children, Charles and Morwenna. My second marriage brought the joy of a third child Ben and indirectly nine beautiful grandchildren.
My early experience of God was via some good bible stories at school and a frightening, punishing, intimidating God in Church.
In my mid twenties I decided to train to be a social worker, specialising in psychiatry and after the sad failure of my marriage became fascinated in what caused relationships to fail; a question the answer to which I still pursue avidly to this day. Indeed I believe I am still attempting to make reparation for the damage caused by these failures. I am also intrigued by what constitutes a good relationship with God.
I discovered a more loving and forgiving relationship with God via my work in a Christian therapeutic community in Trethill in the 1970’s and this warmth and vision has stayed with me inspiring my further training, initially as a psychotherapist and then a psychoanalyst and Couple psychotherapist.
My faith has been a part of my life, symbolised by the Lifeboat which comes alongside when I am lost and fear that all hope is gone.
The latest ‘crazy idea’ in my life was training to be a Reader, whilst living in London; three years of a weekly 600 mile return journey to Truro, but worth every mile.
The last two years I have had the new adventure of learning to live alone; not something I ever thought I would want and another steep learning curve, but contributing a lot to my understanding, empathy and compassion.
~ News and Events in the Parish ~
All our public events have been cancelled for the time being but we are meeting online where we can.
Zoom Pub Theology
Now running fortnightly
A chance to discuss ideas and thoughts about all matter of things theological.
After a short introduction of 5 minutes (or more), the conversation is open.
Meet via Zoom from 7.30 – 8.30pm every other Tuesday
Topics: TBA….please let Richard have any suggestions
For a Zoom link or enquiries or suggestions, ring Richard Laugharne (01503-230333) or email on richard.laugharne@nhs.net
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Community responds through Church and School to help Downderry families
St Nicolas Church, Downderry
The folk at St Nicolas Church were delighted that so many members of our wider community joined the initiative to help support needs arising from Covid-19 in our local school. In all we provided food boxes to the school to the value of £1,120. This was made so much easier by our good friends Kim and Richard at Downderry Stores who made up the boxes and added a contribution to each and every box – so yet one more big THANK YOU to them – and to all who contributed so generously.
We still hold a balance and we propose to support the school with around half of that to enable magical and educational books to be purchased to assist children whose educational needs fell behind while the school was closed. The remainder we will hold, earmarked for any second wave of Covid-19 and emerging needs identified by the school community.
The school deserves appreciation from us all for their dedication and commitment during the pandemic – in addition to meeting all the ever-changing requirements placed upon them, they have looked carefully at the needs of each individual child and put strategies in place to ‘close the gap’.
The willing support of so many people in the community was greatly appreciated by the Head of School – Jake Imrie – and his staff, as well as the St Nics community and the wider Parish of St Germans. Once again our community has seen a need and responded to it.
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Messy Church
meeting in St Germans Methodist Church
Currently cancelled, but work going on in the background
Messy Church is a form of church for children and adults that involves creativity, celebration and hospitality – it’s fun!
If you’d like to help out please speak to Evelyn or ring her on 01503 230449
Find out more at https://www.messychurch.org.uk/what-messy-church-and-isnt
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Events at St Germans Priory Church
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None at present